Daine Laurie is determined to win back Wests Tigers' No.1 jersey despite being overlooked for uncapped Jahream Bula this weekend.
The winless Tigers on Thursday upgraded Bula into the club's top-30 squad on a three-year deal, clearing him to debut against Manly on Sunday.
The New Zealander's shock rise to Tigers NRL fullback leaves Laurie third-in-line for the role which he filled for the past two years.
Laurie started the year as the Tigers' first-choice fullback, before he suffered a minor knee injury that left him sidelined for one week.
He then played three games in reserve grade as the now-injured Adam Doueihi and Charlie Staines both ran out at No.1, before Bula was named for this weekend.
Laurie will return to the NRL side via the bench, with the Tigers listed to carry both him and outside back Tommy Talau on the interchange.
But Laurie is confident he can win back the No.1 jersey despite Tim Sheens describing the 21-year-old Bula as the club's "long-term fullback" this week.
"Yeah, 100 per cent, I want to be No.1," Laurie said.
"(Sheens) just said keep training hard. I have just been knuckling down, working on little things.
"I got unlucky with a little injury. I have just been knuckling down at training and trying to find my way back into the side.
"This is it, I have got back in the side, I can't wait to get back out with the boys and rip in."
Laurie said he was not surprised Bula had joined him and Staines in competing for the fullback role, after watching him in the pre-season.
"I said in the pre-season watch out for Jahream," Laurie said.
"He trains hard, he is fit as. I reckon he will carve up this weekend. You will definitely know his name after 80 minutes.
"It's healthy competition. We all want that fullback spot. We let each other know when we get something over each other. The relationship is good."
Laurie's return to the bench comes after Adam Doueihi suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Parramatta, compounding the pain of the worst start to a season in the club's history.
The Tigers are adamant they can adapt to their sixth spine combination in seven matches with captain Apisai Koroisau and Luke Brooks the only constants in key positions.
Brandon Wakeham will take the No.6 jersey after playing two games there earlier this year, but Laurie said he felt he would able to play in the halves if called into the starting side by Sheens.
"Fullback is kind of like playing five-eighth. That is nothing too out of the ordinary," Laurie said.
"You just have to defend in the front line, that's about it."
